You are the victim relief coordinator for a major volunteer organization located on the west coast of the United States. A catastrophic 8.7-magnitude earthquake has just struck the state of California, with the epicenter located somewhere near San Jose. The damage is severe, the number of casualties is unknown, and local emergency operations have already commenced. The volunteers associated with your organization have all undergone the typical training sessions required for volunteer work, but you want to give them a review of what they are about to encounter and how to effectively handle the situation both mentally and emotionally.

Assignment Guidelines

In 5-7 paragraphs, address the following:

In your own words, explain the concept of behavior potentials to the volunteers.

Psychologically speaking, what are behavior potentials?

What types of personalities do you think have the greatest potential to become overwhelmed by trauma and stress? Provide 2-3 examples and briefly describe them.

How will you explain to the volunteers the most effective methods for reconciling traumatized survivors? Explain.

What do you think are the best methods to treat victims of shock or extreme trauma? Explain in detail.

What must be taken into consideration regarding potential psychological trauma experienced by the volunteer response and recovery units? Explain.

What significant challenges do you feel will be associated with the psychological treatment of both surviving victims of the earthquake and volunteers who experience emotional trauma? Explain.